Through the efforts of Debby Stegura and the AYSO Region 10 Board of 2003, AYSO Region 10 established the Jeff Rickel Memorial Scholarship, which we are pleased to continue to offer. Lynn Rickel and her daughter Chelsea Rickel Kaizer are grateful to continue to be part of this wonderful tribute to honor Jeff.  With the assistance of Lynn Rickel and my many years of friendship with the Rickel family and being the coordinator for the scholarship since 2009, the following is a brief description of what Jeff and his wife Lynn, who coached with him for their daughter’s teams for years, felt and believed about Sportsmanship:

 This scholarship recognizes individuals who exhibit good sportsmanship on and off the soccer field. Jeff firmly believed that “Sportsmanship “is about respecting your opponent, your coach, your officials, your teammates, and yourself. He believed it is about respecting the rules by playing within those guidelines for a fair game. Sportsmanship is about honesty and fairness. Sportsmanship is about encouraging your teammates when they try and fail just as you would recognize them for their success. A good sport exhibits gracious behavior before, during, and after a game. Players, coaches, and spectators all contribute to the attitude of the game. Being volunteers as a coach, referee, parent, and player, Jeff and Lynn can say that being part of a team that tries their best and keeps a positive attitude makes the entire game experience enjoyable. Jeff and Lynn believe sportsmanship is not just an attitude to embrace on and off the field; it reflects the way you behave in life.

Every year the Rickel family and I are increasingly impressed by the accomplishments of these young adults who apply for this memorial scholarship.  The selection of recipients is never easy, limited to only two, and it seems each year’s candidates prove to be ever more challenging. In the final stages of processing, once all eligibility criteria is confirmed and hours under various categories tallied, there is a review of the essays and when needed referral letters to break a tie. The applications are also critically reviewed to assess and rank these candidates for the scholarship, factoring in not only the demonstrable service provided to the Region as youth volunteers, but also their understanding and feelings of “sportsmanship” as believed by Jeff Rickel himself. All these candidates have volunteered in so many areas within Region 10.  They have gone above and beyond in many instances to be coaches, referees, youth coordinators on the Board, and even Division Coordinators with adult mentors.  They have coached teams that have won the sportsmanship award, they have embraced sportsmanship in their own behavior, and they have shown respect for others on and off the field. The referral letters for these candidates are so sincere and let it be known that each candidate truly exhibited sportsmanship qualities.

On behalf of the Rickel family and myself, in addition to all the AYSO Board members and ancillary AYSO volunteers who have been a part of these applicants’ volunteer life here at REGION 10, we are so proud of all the young people applying for this scholarship.  We know that they are good in heart as they have demonstrated they have had the right influences from their parents, friends, teams, fellow players, mentors, and of course their community.

Marlene Beranek, Coordinator